Bumble's latest ad campaign has stirred controversy among its users, leading the dating app to apologize.
The advertisements, which suggested celibacy wasn't a viable choice, faced backlash for undermining daters' freedom to choose their lifestyles.
The company posted on Instagram: “Our ads referencing celibacy were an attempt to lean into a community frustrated by modern dating, and instead of bringing joy and humor, we unintentionally did the opposite.”
The campaign was launched in late April alongside redesigning the app.
It featured billboards with slogans such as “A vow of celibacy is not the answer” and “Thou shalt not give up on dating and become a nun.”
Social media criticism
Social media users quickly criticized the ads, accusing Bumble of delegitimizing celibacy and pressuring individuals into sexual relationships.
Bumble said it would remove the ads and donate to the National Domestic Violence Hotline and other organizations supporting women, marginalized communities, and abuse victims.
Bumble, founded in 2014 by Whitney Wolfe Herd, originally gained popularity by allowing only women to send the first message to potential heterosexual matches, a feature removed in the recent redesign.
